


A Life Changed

by PhoenixLeader7671



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Action, F/M, Feel-good, Friendship, Gale - Freeform, Gruvia - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, Lucy Paralyzed, Lucy Wheelchair, Nalu - Freeform, Romance, fairy tail - Freeform, uplifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:53:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26895505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixLeader7671/pseuds/PhoenixLeader7671
Summary: Lucy is badly injured after the Naval Battle, with a spinal cord injury permanently paralyzing her lower body, placing her in a wheelchair. As she tries to adjust to a new way of life, her friends do everything they can to support her.Friendships and relationships will be tested, as well as Lucy's mental and physical strength. Will she be able to live a normal life as a Fairy Tail wizard now that she can no longer walk?[Eventual NaLu]
Relationships: Natsu Dragneel & Gray Fullbuster & Happy & Lucy Heartfilia & Wendy Marvell & Erza Scarlet, Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia
Comments: 3
Kudos: 84





	1. Chapter 1

“That’s why I’ll never give up!”

Those words lingered in Lucy’s mind. Her world was dark. She couldn’t move her arms or legs. She couldn’t even feel the cold of the water that surrounded her seconds earlier. 

All she could think about was her failure. She had lost once already, but now she had brought disgrace to her guild. As she began to accept the darkness that surrounded her, one last thought manifested.

I’m sorry, Fairy Tail. 

“LUCY!”

As Lucy’s body fell to the earth, the members of Fairy Tail team A jumped from their spot in the Domas Flau’s stands and ran towards their friend to save her. 

But it was too late.

A loud thud was heard as Lucy hit the ground hard, sending dust everywhere. 

Natsu was sprinting as fast as he could, Gray and Erza right behind him, with Wendy not far back either. 

He came to an abrupt stop as what he saw horrified him. 

Lucy’s limp body laid on the ground, covered in cuts and bruises. Blood was oozing from deep wounds on her body, including one on her forehead that covered half of her face. Several large scorch marks covered her arms, legs, and torso. While not visible, it was likely she had a few broken bones as well. 

Natsu kneeled down beside her and placed her in his lap. Her body was cold, excluding the burn marks, and it wasn’t from the water. 

“Lucy! LUCY! Wake up, Lucy! Please just hang on!” 

Gray quickly knelt opposite of Natsu and examined Lucy himself. He grimaced at the sight of each injury. . 

“WENDY, GET OVER HERE NOW!” he yelled, the aforementioned dragon slayer picking up her pace. 

Without saying anything, Wendy knelt down and immediately began emergency treatment. Knowing her friend was teetering between life and death, she focused all her energy onto Lucy, small tears forming in the corners of her eyes. 

Natsu and Gray sat up and backed away in order to give Wendy some space.

In front of them was Erza, who quickly turned around to see Minerva slowly descending from the water bubble with a tiny smirk on her face. The scarlet knight could do nothing but stare her down. 

“What’s with the look, Titania?” The Sabertooth mage spoke up, amused by her opponent’s scornful face, “I played within the game’s rules and won fair and square. No reason to be upset. In fact, you should be thankful that I helped this embarrassment of a mage get second place. 

“What the hell did you just say?” Natsu retorted as flames emerged from his fists. Gray also took his battle stance, placing his right hand in his left palm. 

Erza stood between them, eyes still glued on the sadistic woman in front of them. With her fist and teeth clenched, she prepared to summon one of her blades until she turned around to see the injured Lucy, who was surrounded by Wendy and now Juvia. She still showed no signs of life, even with Wendy’s magic. 

If they were to fight now, it would most definitely result in Fairy Tail’s disqualification. Not only would all of their training and hard fought matches be in vain, but so would Lucy’s sacrifice. 

Erza turned around and put her arms in front of Gray and Natsu. 

“Back down, both of you.” she said with a stern voice.

Loosening their stances, the duo gave Erza questionable looks until she spoke once more.

“If we attack her now, we’ll be disqualified and lose all of our points. That’ll mean Lucy fought for nothing. We won’t let that happen, understand?”

Gray sighed then nodded. “She’s right, Natsu. We need to focus.”

Reluctantly, Natsu backed down, still glaring at the woman who dared to torture his friend right in front of him. 

“Our top priority is getting Lucy to the infirmary as fast as possible.” Erza said. 

The group turned back to where Lucy and Wendy were, only to see Wendy staring at them in awe, her green magic healing… nothing?

“Wendy, where did Lucy go?” the ice mage asked, concern in his voice.

“What do you mean she’s right h-WHAT? Where did she go? She was just here seconds ago!” 

Suddenly the crowd gasped, and a small chuckle could be heard from behind them. The group turned around to look back at Minerva and what they saw made them absolutely livid.

Minerva was holding Lucy by the neck with her right arm, just like she had done before dropping her from the water bubble moments ago. A grin was clearly visible on her face. She tightened her grip around the blonde’s throat, trying to suffocate the girl who was already barely breathing. 

Something in Erza snapped. She knew she couldn’t hold back anymore. Her friend was in danger. 

Equipping two swords, she charged straight at Minerva.

“LET HER GO!” She screamed as she slashed at her. 

But to Erza’s surprise, Minerva had disappeared. The redhead looked around before spotting her twelve feet behind her, in the exact same spot. 

Despite her confusion, she didn’t have time for questions. She charged at her once again. This time she noticed Natsu charging at her as well, his right arm ablaze. 

Both swung their hits, but gasped when they almost hit each other after the spatial mage disappeared once again. 

After dodging each other’s attacks, they turned to find Minerva about seven feet away, still holding Lucy up like a trophy. 

The crowd had gone silent. Was a fight between Sabertooth and Fairy Tail what they wanted?   
Yes, but not like this. Not with an innocent girl’s life at risk.

Gray and Juvia quickly rushed to aid Natsu and Erza, leaving Wendy behind them. The little girl had froze up. She didn’t know what to do. She wanted to help but no matter what her body wouldn’t move. It was like she was paralyzed. 

The other Fairy Tail members watched in horror as their celestial mage was being treated like a toy. Makarov was fuming. No matter how badly he wanted to join in and help, it would result in the guild’s disqualification if their master was to be involved. Yet he couldn’t stop them either. They were simply trying to save their friend, nothing more nothing less. He could only hope the organizers of the tournament would be reasonable enough to understand this.

Team Natsu’s adrenaline increased when they heard Lucy struggling to breathe against Minerva’s grip. Out of desperation, the four charged up their attacks.

“Water Slicer!”

“Ice-Make: Hammer!”

“Fire Dragon Iron Fist!”

“Moon Flash!”

As their attacks headed straight towards her, Minerva flashed her annoying smirk before teleporting away once again. 

All that was left was a giant hole in the ground of the arena. 

Erza was panting heavily, her sprinting and attacks taking too much energy from her in such a short amount of time. “D-damn it.” she said between breaths. 

“Oh my, this is certainly entertaining. You fairies want to keep playing?” the Sabertooth mage spoke as she reappeared behind, Lucy still in her clutches and still fighting for air. She looked back towards Fairy Tail Team B mischievously. “Maybe you’d like to get in on the action as well.” 

Despite the distance, Gajeel and Laxus heard her clearly. They had already been disgusted by the woman’s actions, but now they were just plain pissed off. Even if they weren’t close to her, Lucy was still a comrade. Their comrade. Sooner or later, Minerva would pay.

Mirajane and Cana, however, were gearing up to join the fight. A dark aura grew around Mira’s body, meaning she was a second away from using her Satan Soul. Cana clutched a few cards in her fingers, ready to throw every spell she had at the sadist. 

As the Fairy Tail members prepared another volley of attacks, Minerva prepared to teleport again, before everyone was unexpectedly stopped by a commanding voice. 

“Stop it, Minerva.”

Her signature grin fading, she turned to face Sting, with Rogue, Rufus, and Orga behind him. 

“That’s My Lady, to you.” she retorted with a disgusted tone. 

Sting only gave her a disapproving look before speaking once more. “Give the girl back to them.” 

Minerva contemplated for a few seconds before shrugging her shoulders. “Well, it was fun while it lasted.” She then tossed Lucy over towards her friends, with Natsu quickly catching her bridal style. 

Juvia and Gray joined him before Erza stood in front of them in a protective stance. Her pupils were dilated in anger. Sabertooth had already earned their spot in the deep end from the Naval Battle, but now they had gone too far.

“Get Lucy out of here. Now.” 

Without hesitation, Natsu stood up and ran to the nearest exit, Lucy still lifeless in his arms. Gray and Juvia tailed him. Wendy snapped out of her helpless trance to follow them as well. This left Erza and the Sabertooth team alone in the arena, all eyes focused on them.

Rage filled Erza’s heart. She so badly wanted to equip into her Purgatory or Heaven’s Wheel armors and fight all of Sabertooth here and now. But she knew she couldn’t. 

“Listen. I don’t give a damn if you are the strongest guild in this tournament, or in Fiore. Hell, I don’t even care if you’re the strongest guild on the planet. You picked the worst possible guild to piss off.” 

With that, Erza turned around and followed the others to the infirmary, choosing to ignore Minerva’s snickering.


	2. Waiting

It had been an hour since Lucy was taken to the infirmary. Fairy Tail team A sat in the waiting room, without a noise to be heard, until an announcement over the arena’s intercom broke the silence. 

“Attention all Grand Magic Games competitors and fans. Due to recent events and scheduling conflicts, today’s tag team portion of the tournament has been cancelled. Competition will resume tomorrow with the final event.” 

The group had no reaction to the announcement whatsoever. In fact, the Grand Magic Games were the last thing on their mind. Right now, all that mattered to them was Lucy. 

Natsu, Erza, and Gray occupied one end of the room, their heads pointed down towards the floor. Images of the recent events replayed in each of their minds like a slideshow. 

For Gray, it was each and every cut, bruise, and burn on Lucy’s body. 

For Erza, it was Minerva smiling while choking her friend, almost to death.

For Natsu, it was holding Lucy’s cold, motionless body in his arms. 

It was as if their combination of rage, frustration, and despair could be seen radiating off their auras, filling the room with a deadly concoction of emotions. Every few minutes or so, their bodies would fidget, with Erza unconsciously clenching her fists or Gray gritting his teeth. 

Meanwhile, in the opposite end of the room, Wendy sat in one of the waiting room’s chairs, hushed and despondent.

The tournament hadn’t been friendly to the bluenette either, with her being the first victim of Raven Tail’s fairy hunt. But at least, in her case, she had only suffered from Magic Deficiency disease, which was eventually cured by Porlyusica’s elixirs. Lucy, however, was practically sitting at death’s doorstep. 

Wendy closed her eyes as her body began to tremble. She kept reliving the very brief period of time she was given to heal her friend, and every time she did she mentally kicked herself for not being strong enough. Ever since Wendy had joined Fairy Tail, she had grown a sisterly bond with the celestial mage. Memories of sharing a ride in Horologium during a blizzard and getting haircuts from Cancer quickly flashed in her brain, which gave way to a tiny smile. She hoped for a future in which such memories continued, but right now that future seemed bleak.

Happy was sitting in the chair next to her, with Carla in between them. He was clutching Lucy’s pouch that held her celestial keys close to his chest like a safety blanket, as if doing so would make everything okay. He hadn’t let go of the keys ever since he picked them up from the arena grounds. His tiny body was shaking uncontrollably, with tears threatening to pour out from his eyes. 

Carla, on the other hand, was deep in thought. She tried remembering the premonition she had on the first day of the tournament. A white knight, Lucy singing, and Mercurius collapsing. But the images were either heavily distorted or blurred. This wasn’t uncommon, as smaller premonitions in the past had ended up the same, but yet she couldn’t pinpoint the cause. The only reasonable explanation that she had come up with was that something drastic had occurred that significantly altered how the future will play out. 

Suddenly the doors to the hallway opened, snapping everyone out of their trance. They looked up to see a group of familiar figures entering the waiting room. 

Juvia, now in her black coat with her signature hat, was the first to enter, with Mirajane and Cana behind her. Laxus and Gajeel entered last, expressionless as they observed their fellow guildmate’s faces. 

“Is Lucy okay?” the water mage asked desperately. 

Without a word, the group shook their heads before sinking their heads once more. “It has been an hour and they haven’t told us anything. They didn’t even let us into the infirmary.” Carla spoke up, wanting to end the brief awkward silence. 

“Why are you guys even here?” Natsu said with a stern tone. 

“Why the hell wouldn’t we?” Cana retorted, “Lucy’s our friend too. Just because we’re on different teams for a stupid tournament doesn’t mean we don’t care about each other.” 

Natsu’s only reply was a deadly stare, which Cana quickly returned. The two were locked in a staring contest for a few seconds before Cana closed her eyes and shook her head in disapproval, moving to sit at the opposite side of the room. 

Mirajane noticed Wendy’s hidden face and slowly approached her. She gently placed a hand on the small dragon slayer’s shoulder, to which she slightly jumped from before lifting her head to see the white-haired barmaid’s face. 

“Wendy, are you alright?” Mira had a soft and comforting voice, which made Wendy’s tensed body loosen up. 

“N-no I..I-” Wendy tried to respond but could only stutter before sensing tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes once more. She lowered her head to hide, only to be embraced by warmth as Mira lightly pulled her into a hug, allowing the bluenette to cry into her shoulder. 

Juvia slowly walked up to Gray, who remained mute. He was slouched over, elbows on his knees, ignoring the world around him. Juvia felt partially responsible for Lucy’s condition. Knowing she was much stronger than her, she knew she had a better chance against Minerva. If she knew what the woman would do to her, she would’ve tried to get Lucy out earlier just to protect her. Instead, she let her fruitless adoration for Gray get the best of her and distract her from the fight, while also embarrassing her crush in the process. 

Hesitantly, she sat down in the chair to his left, and slowly placed her hand on his, which were interlocked together. Normally, he would pull away from her or freak out, but this time was different. He remained still before slowly turning to face her. Juvia gave a weak smile, which Gray returned with one of his own before turning his head back to the floor, leaving his hands as still as possible. 

“You guys don’t have to stay here, you know. You just should head back to the inn.” His weak voice escaped from his mouth, surprising everyone. 

“No way. We’re staying here.” Cana replied, sitting across from him. Juvia and Mirajane nodded in agreement. No one was leaving until Lucy was okay. 

Carla worriedly looked at Happy as he continued to quiver in fear. She saw the ripples that he had made on the sides of Lucy’s pouch, as well as a few stains that marked where his tears had fallen upon the leather. She had never been much of a comforter, at least for anyone besides Wendy, but to see her fellow exceed in such a state put a strain on her heart. 

“Happy,” she said, placing a paw on his back, “Lucy wouldn’t want you worrying about her so much. I don’t think she would want you to get her keys wet, either.” She attempted to end with a small bit of humor. 

The blue exceed looked towards her, wide-eyed, and then back down at the pouch. He had, in fact, almost soaked the top of the pouch with his tears. He quickly wiped his eyes and straightened his posture before looking back towards Carla. 

“Y-you’re right. I’ll s-stay strong f-for L-Lucy.” He was able to whimper out between sniffles. Carla gave a weak smile before turning her head away, keeping a paw on Happy’s back to comfort him. 

Meanwhile, Laxus and Gajeel stood near the waiting room doors, surveying the room. Most people would think they would rather be anywhere but here, due to their expressionless faces. The truth is that they couldn’t be anymore pissed off, but knowing how everyone else was feeling, they had to be the pillars that kept them strong and level-headed, especially since Erza, unarguably the most equanimous wizard in Fairy Tail, was acting out of the ordinary. 

The room had fallen silent once more, with only an occasional sniffle from Wendy or Happy being audible, and it would remain so for the next two and a half hours.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Makarov Dreyar slowly opened the doors to the infirmary’s waiting room, expecting to hear at least some sort of update on Lucy’s condition. What he didn’t expect was the depressing sight of his strongest mages visibly shaken and upset. 

Upon entering, his eyes immediately went towards the left side of the room, where Natsu, Erza, and Gray, with Juvia still at his side, resided, their faces covered by shadows. Shifting his eyes to the right, he saw Mirajane sitting next to Wendy, Happy and Carla sharing a chair, and Cana alone in her own little bubble, as well as Laxus and Gajeel leaning back against the waiting room wall. 

No one had looked his way, as if they didn’t notice his entrance. They did, but simply chose not to acknowledge it. 

Makarov gradually approached Laxus, struggling not to fall due to the immense pain of seeing his children in such a state. Noticing his grandfather approach him, Laxus looked down at Makarov, already knowing his question.

“Laxus, has there been any news on Lucy’s condition?” 

The tall blonde shook his head. “We got here about two hours ago and they had already been here for an hour by then. Said they weren’t even allowed in the infirmary.” He motioned his head towards the trio of Natsu, Erza, and Gray. 

Makarov sighed. This had already been a hectic tournament, what with Raven Tail on their backs. But now one of his children had been viciously beaten in front of thousands of people. And for what? Entertainment? Points?

It had gone too far. 

All of a sudden, the infirmary doors swung open, catching everyone’s attention.

Out came the familiar pink hair that could only belong to Fairy Tail’s medicinal advisor, Porlyusica. 

Everyone’s gaze concentrated on her, with Natsu standing up at attention. 

Knowing the bombardment of questions that was headed her way, she put her hands up, signalling them to remain quiet, which was surprisingly effective. 

“I have both good and bad news about the girl.”

Putting her hands down, she took a deep breath, preparing herself to break the news.

“The good news is that we’ve been able to take care of a majority of her injuries. She had severe lacerations, several second-degree burns, internal bleeding, and a few broken bones, as well a multitude of bruises. However, Wendy’s emergency treatment was able to significantly lower the severity of her injuries, which made it easier for us to treat them. We’ve bandaged her up, as well as give her a cast for her left arm, which will heal in about six to eight weeks.”

A few sighs of relief could be heard throughout the room, one of them from the blue-haired dragon slayer herself. After being stressed for the last three and a half hours, she felt extremely relieved knowing she was able to help Lucy. She felt a little pat of her back, and turned to see Mirajane giving her a reassuring smile, which she returned. 

Porlysucia noticed this, and gave way to a tiny grin before continuing with the bad news.

“The bad news is that she is still in critical condition. She’s remained unconscious, but her pulse has been stable. We’ve hooked her up to an IV bag and given her an oxygen mask. I’ll also be monitoring her heart rate constantly. But I’m afraid there is more. 

The group remained silent. Porlyuscia took a deep breath. She knew what she was about to say would break them, but they had to know. 

“When we performed an x-ray scan, we discovered an abnormality in her spine. Upon further examination, we found severe damages in the lumbar portion. We had no other choice but to-

“Just get to goddamn point already.” Cana stood up and seemingly spoke for the whole group. They were tired of waiting. 

“My point is that her spinal cord is severely damaged, which means that Lucy will be paralyzed from the waist down, permanently.” 

Gasps could be heard throughout the room, with an audible “No” from Mirajane and Juvia, who cupped their mouths as their eyes became glossy from the buildup of tears. Everyone else remained speechless. 

“I’m sorry. There was nothing I could do. A spinal cord injury of this severity is something even the best healers in Earthland can’t fix. Her upper body will be fine, but she will require a wheelchair for mobility.” 

With that, the emotions of various Fairy Tail members were released. Mirajane, Juvia, and Wendy sobbed relentlessly, whimpering out their friend’s name. Cana covered her face with her arms and clasped her hair, her only words being “Damn it, damn it, damn it!” Erza stormed out of the waiting room and punched a clean hole in the wall right outside. Happy’s grip on Lucy’s keys tightened, as Carla tried to comfort him. Gray and Natsu’s faces paled, their pupils contracted from shock. Gajeel and Laxus visibly grimaced, while Makarov’s face remained expressionless.   
“Old man.”

Makarov snapped out of his trance to see Laxus staring at him, unaware of his space out. 

“What now.” Laxus’s voice was unusually gruff. 

The elder looked towards the ground to think, before looking back up at his grandson.

“Just… take everyone back to the inn for now. I have to talk with Porlyusica for a moment.”

Laxus nodded, and directed Gajeel to help out. As he began ushering everyone out, Happy got up from his seat and slowly approached Porlyusica.

“M-miss P-Porlyusica?”

The woman looked down towards the poor cat, who was shaking uncontrollably as he held out Lucy’s keys.

“C-can you p-please give t-these to L-Lucy?” 

She nodded as she picked up the pouch, watching as Happy began to exit with the others. Once everyone was out, Laxus looked back to Makarov, who had begun to speak with Porlyusica, and then turned to leave.

“Please keep me updated on Lucy. If anything changes, I want to be the first to know. I’ll make sure the others give her some space.”

“I will. And I promise I’ll take care of her.” 

With that, Porlyusica retreated back into the infirmary, leaving Makarov alone in the barren room. 

Before he exited, he looked back to the infirmary doors and spoke to himself.

Lucy, my dear child. I promise you they will not get away with this. Sabertooth will regret the day even laid a finger on you. We will avenge you and win this tournament, for our guild, and for you. Just stay alive for us Lucy.

After that, Makarov exited the waiting room to return to the inn. 

If Sabertooth wanted a war, they were going to get a war.


	3. Chapter 3: Part 1 (Gray)

Gray walked the now empty streets of Crocus, his gaze set on the stone paved streets. The bright lights from within the buildings illuminated the many pathways the Blooming Capital held. The only noises present were the sound of the ice mage’s combat boots on the pavement and the occasional chatter of roaming civilians. 

Not like he could hear anything anyway.

Gray was too far gone in his mind to even know where he was or where he was going. All he knew was that he needed some alone time. The day’s events had been too much for him to handle.

The last time Gray had felt this useless was the day his master Ur died, by sacrificing herself to stop the demon Deiliora. Ever since then, he’d sworn to himself that he’d get stronger every day so that he could protect those close to him. Yet, today, when Lucy was being brutally beaten by Minerva, he couldn’t do anything but watch. 

How pathetic, he thought to himself.

He still remembers the first words he ever said to her.

“Excuse me miss, could I please borrow your underwear?”

“AS IF!”

His face gave way to a tiny grin at the memory.

When she first joined the guild, Gray didn’t think much of Lucy, besides that she was pretty damn cute and seemed just like a ditzy, naive blonde. But ever since the Eisenwald mission, he began to learn more about the celestial mage, and saw things most wouldn’t see on the surface. Like her love for literature and how she treated her celestial spirits like family. 

He’d grown to respect Lucy, and valued her both as a teammate and a friend. In fact, he’d go as far to say that she was like a little sister to him. He enjoyed seeing her cheery and optimistic attitude that was ever present whenever she was in the guild hall, as well as her courage and willingness to fight to protect her friends, even if she wasn’t as powerful as their foes. He was willing to die to protect her when Phantom Lord was after her, and he voluntarily watched over her when she thought she was being stalked. 

Like with his other guildmates, he didn’t want Lucy to get hurt. But after today, even though he literally couldn’t do anything, he still felt he was to blame. 

He just watched as she was punched, kicked, choked, and thrown around. And he couldn’t stop it. He was powerless. And now his friend, his family, was unconscious and paralyzed.  
He wished he could give up a hand, an arm, or a leg just so Lucy would be able to walk again. So she could be happy. He couldn’t even bear to imagine how heartbroken she would be when she woke up. 

He had been walking aimlessly for about thirty minutes, yet the passage of time was nonexistent in his world. 

He continued walking when a familiar voice called his name.

“Gray?” 

He stopped. He had come to his senses and took in his surroundings. He stood in the middle of an empty street, no other civilians in sight. The voice called out to him again.

“Gray.” 

Of all the times she has to stalk me, she decides to do it now? He thought to himself. He was fine when she approached him earlier, knowing she only wanted to comfort him. But now? When he was trying to deal with the stress and guilt that had piled onto him? How selfish could she be?

He slowly turned around to face the blue-haired water mage, expecting her normal behavior. Eyes filled with hearts, her hopes and dreams of having 33 babies, how her undying love would never be quenched. Yet he was surprised to see her face showing an obvious amount of concern that he had never seen before. Was this really Juvia? Or was this some sort of elaborate prank?

“Gray, Master Makarov wants both teams to meet at the Bar Sun. He has an important announcement to make.” She said, sorrow present in her tone.

Gray’s response was a quick return to glancing at the ground. He didn’t want to think about the games right now. There were more important matters to care about. 

As if reading his mind, Juvia took a deep breath before speaking again. “I’m sorry.”

Gray faced Juvia once more, confused at her statement. “For what?” He asked.

“About Lucy. It’s all my fault.”

“Why would you think that?” 

“B-Because if I had j-just gotten her out e-earlier, she would’ve b-been safe and I’d be the one in the infirmary right now, instead of her. I could’ve saved her. I could’ve sto-”

She was interrupted by Gray’s sudden movement, as he grabbed her arms tightly, practically forcing her to look at him. Normally, Juvia would blush and squeal at the intimacy. But all she could do was stare into his pain-filled eyes as he stared into hers. 

“Don’t say stuff like that! Don’t even think like that! You know damn well Lucy wouldn’t want that to happen to you! She’d rather die than see her friends suffer! She would throw herself in harm’s way just to protect any of us! So don’t even think for a second that she’d let you do that!” 

His words were sharp, yet true. Juvia hadn’t known Lucy long, but from the short and rare times that she wasn’t threatening the poor blonde, she had learned just how much Lucy cared, not just about her friends, but everyone, stranger or not. 

After their fight against Vivaldus in the Tower of Heaven, Lucy was the first person to truly accept her into the guild, before she even joined. She knew that Lucy wouldn’t want what happened to her happen to anyone else, friend or foe. 

“Y-you’re right.” She said, closing her eyes. She reopened them when she felt Gray’s grip on her vanish. His face was now covered by the shadows of his hair, his hands placed in the pockets of his white coat. 

“Good, now leave me alone. I don’t care about the stupid tournament anymore. We can drop out for all I care.” 

Gray began to walk off once more. Juvia couldn’t help but feel upset. Lucy had sacrificed her body and potentially her life as a mage for her friends, for her guild, and this is how they were acting? Ready to throw in the towel? 

No. She couldn’t let this happen. Lucy may be her love-rival, but at the end of the day she’s still her guildmate, and her friend. 

“If you know what Lucy would want, then you know she wouldn’t want you moping around like an idiot!” 

Gray turned around, finding Juvia more aggressive than he’d ever seen her. Her fists were clenched and her eyebrows lowered. When she saw his face, she almost regretted her decision, but shook it off. It didn’t matter that it was Gray, she was going to do this. For Lucy. 

“You said I knew that Lucy wouldn’t want that to happen to me. Well, I also know she wouldn’t want you guys to act like this. She gave the Naval Battle everything she had so that we could win, and you’re about to throw away her sacrifice? As her friend, I cannot let that happen, and neither can you. She’d want you to keep fighting. We have to win this tournament. And more importantly, we have to get revenge on Sabertooth.” 

Gray was frozen. Shock had taken over his body. Guilt and shame then filled his mind. 

It hit him like a sledgehammer. He had spent the last few hours sulking alone, instead of with his teammates, comforting and strengthening them. Juvia was right. If they didn’t win, Lucy’s sacrifice would’ve been in vain. 

“Damn it…” Gray cursed to himself for his foolish actions.

He would not let it continue. 

“You’re right.” 

Juvia’s eyes gleamed with hope as he walked towards her. His face no longer contained anguish or sorrow. Instead, it had determination and fortitude. He looked up to her with a smile and spoke.

“Let’s win this thing. For Lucy.” 

“Yeah. For Lucy!”

“So you said the master wants us to meet at the Bar Sun?”

“Yes, but first, if it’s not too much to ask, we need your help with Natsu.”

“What’s up with flamebrain?” 

“He hasn’t left his room since we got back. Everyone’s afraid to talk to him.”

Gray then realized the pain Natsu must be experiencing right now. He knew he had to get to him fast before he did something reckless.

“Juvia, head to the bar. I’ll take care of Natsu.”

The water mage nodded, and both went in their separate directions.


	4. Chapter 3: Part 2 (Erza)

Erza Scarlet had been widely known around Fiore as Titania, the Queen of the Fairies, yet she herself never really knew what it meant. She guessed it might’ve been from how powerful she is, but what else did it hold? 

If it means she protects the ones she loves, then she didn’t deserve such a title. Not after today. 

The requip mage leaned against the side of the bridge that arched over a canal, the moonlight reflecting beautifully off the calm waters. She stared at the water, her mind drifting off into space as she recalled the painful image of seeing her friend being choked to death by the sadistic woman who kept a smirk on her face.

That goddamn smirk. 

Erza’s fist clenched, with tears beginning to form in both of her eyes. As far as she knew, she had one duty in her life: to protect her friends. And today, she failed. 

I’m sorry, Lucy. 

After Uncle Rob, Lisanna, and Simon, Erza couldn’t bear to lose another friend, especially Lucy. Anyone but Lucy. 

Despite growing up with people like Cana and Mirajane, Erza never had a true female friend in the guild. She always spent her time training alone and going on solo missions, occasionally stopping Natsu and Gray from fighting here and there. But when Lucy joined, her life changed. She got closer to not only the celestial mage, but many others as well. She learned to stop pushing others away, and focus on strengthening her relationships with her guildmates. 

To Erza, Lucy was like the sister she never had. She was the first person in the guild to ever call the scarlet knight beautiful, as she had only been described as such by strangers and that Blue Pegasus creep, Ichiya. They even shared similar interests in fashion and literature. At times, Erza wished Lucy wasn’t always hogged by Natsu and Happy so they could go on more jobs together, as she truly enjoyed her company. 

But she wasn’t strong enough to protect her. Now her friend would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life.

The redhead wiped away her tears and sighed, before turning around to lean back against the side of the bridge. Kicking her foot back to support her stance, she looked up towards the full moon and the stars that surrounded it, a view her friend would certainly love. 

Erza didn’t know what to do anymore. Do they keep going in the tournament? Or should they just drop out? Was there even a right answer? Winning the Grand Magic Games didn’t even seem worth it at this point.

“Erza?”

The requip mage looked towards the source of the voice and saw the familiar face of Fairy Tail’s famous barmaid, Mirajane. She held a worried expression as she approached her. 

“Are you alright?”

Erza closed her eyes and shook her head. “I don’t know, Mira.” 

Mira then motioned towards a nearby bench on the other side of the bridge. “Want to talk about it?”

After a few seconds of contemplation, Erza nodded. The two headed towards the bench, which was surrounded by beautiful shrubbery, with two maple bushes on both ends. The two sat down and looked back up at the night sky. Occasionally a star would twinkle in and out, it’s brilliant shine returning. But no matter how bright they were, to the two mages, as well as the rest of Fairy Tail, all the stars seemed dull. 

“It’s about her, isn’t it?” Mirajane asked. Her tone was gentle as always. 

“Yeah.” was the only thing Erza could say. 

“To think that, minus the seven years we were on Tenrou, she’s only been with us for a year and yet she’s made such a huge impact on all of us.” 

Erza smiled as she remembered all the memories they had made in just a year. “She’s the definition of a Fairy Tail wizard.”

Mira gave way to a smile as well. “You got that right. Even with all the time she’s spent with Natsu, it’s like she’s every single one of us combined into one. Now whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, I don’t really know.”

The two giggled at Mirajane’s statement. The former S-Class wizard had gotten to know Lucy pretty well herself. Whenever she wasn’t out on jobs or dealing with Natsu and Happy’s stupidity, the blonde would be at the bar, venting or gossiping her mouth off. She’d complain about how tough a job was, how she was planning on keeping two particular pests out of her apartment, or how she had heard about a new celestial spirit key floating around. 

No matter the conversation, Mirajane always listened, even if she wasn’t an expert about books or celestial magic. She enjoyed talking to Lucy, as she was one of the few people besides her brother who actually sat at the bar and talked to her throughout the day. Before her return from Edolas, Mirajane still had depressive episodes about Lisanna’s death on occasion, but, almost magically, Lucy would always be there to cheer her up, whether she knew it or not. It made Mirajane feel like she had a second sister, even going so far as to threaten Natsu if he chose a job that would be too dangerous for her. 

So when they were told that Lucy wouldn’t be able to walk again, her heart shattered. For such a horrible thing to happen to such a sweet and innocent girl was unfair. Sure, life is unfair at times, but even this was too cruel. 

“You know, it’s okay to feel sorry for others, even if they don’t want us to. It shows that we care for them and that they’re important to us. But I can’t help but feel like we’re doing a disservice   
to Lucy by feeling this way.”

Confused, Erza looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “What makes you think that?” 

“Well, it’s just…” Mira paused, as if rethinking what she was about to say, “she fought until she physically couldn’t anymore. She took every single one of those attacks for us, so we could win. She wouldn’t want us to feel sorry for her. She’d want us to keep going.”

“But how can we not be sorry for her, Mira?” Erza looked at her friend with a stern expression. “Her entire life was changed because of a silly game for points. And that woman.” 

Mirajane didn’t need to ask who she meant. Her name had become infamous among the Fairy Tail guild in just a day. Just thinking about it made both mages clench their fists.

Erza continued “Is she even going to want to stay in Fairy Tail? How is she going to feel being the only one in a wheelchair while everyone else walks around happily? What’s that going to do to her?”

“That’s the future, Erza.” Mira placed a hand on the scarlet knight’s shoulder. “We’ll get there when we get there. Besides, Lucy is strong. Maybe not in terms of magic power, but mentally she’s tough. She’s more than willing to take this head on and adapt, and we’ll be there to support her.” 

Erza’s eyes softened, and her body loosened up. Mirajane was right. Lucy was strong, she always has been. No matter how strong her opponent was or how dire the situation, she’d never relent. 

“She talks about you a lot, you know.” Mirajane started back up. “Everytime you guys come back from a mission, she gushes about how amazing you are and how she strives to be like you.” 

Erza slightly blushed, but with a smile. “R-really?”

Mirajane nodded. “I think you’re a role model for her. And I get the feeling she’s one for you too, in a way.” 

“She kind of is, actually. How do you know this stuff, Mira?”

The barmaid grinned. “Working as a barmaid in the guild sort of helped me with my observation skills. I just learned to read things like body language and how certain people communicate with each other. Tends to come in handy sometimes.”

“Seems so.” Erza leaned back, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked back to the celestial sky once more. “Lucy just has a knack for forgiving people. She even said she hoped nothing bad happened to that Flare girl from Raven Tail the other day. I can’t imagine caring about others you don’t even know that well.”

“I think that’s just being a nice person, Erza.” Mirajane chuckled. 

“Well, I guess I do tend to be quite overbearing.”

The two shared a laugh before returning to silence. The moon still hung high in the air, the stars seemingly brighter than before. 

“As her role model, I think Lucy would want you to keep going. To keep fighting. Not worrying about her or sulking around because of her.”

Erza leaned forward, trying to hide her face, as if Lucy was there. Shame washed over her. She wouldn’t want her friend to see her like this, and didn’t even want to imagine her reaction if she did.

She felt a hand on her wrist, and looked to see Mira, who had moved closer to her. Her eyes looked teary, as she was holding back tears. 

“You have to stay strong for her, Erza. It’s the best, and only, thing you can do for her right now.” 

Erza could feel Mira trembling, as if she was about to break down. Swiftly, she pulled her in for an embrace, allowing her to silently sob onto her shoulder in comfort. Yet, even the scarlet knight was trying to hold back her own tears once more. 

Just a few seconds after, Mira quickly pulled herself out and wiped her tears away. “How silly of me. I should be the one comforting you, not the other way around.”

Erza chuckled. “Don’t worry, Mira. We’re here to comfort each other. That’s what Fairy Tail is all about.” 

As if a shock went through her brain, Mira’s eyes widened suddenly. “Oh, I almost forgot, we need your help. Natsu hasn’t left the inn since we got back, and Master wants to speak to both teams at the bar. No one has been able to get to him, the only people left are you and Gray.”

Erza stood up and wiped off her skirt. “I’ll talk to him. Just meet up with everyone else.” 

The barmaid, with a smile, nodded and stood up to go head to Bar Sun. Erza then headed off towards the inn, mentally preparing herself. If she was affected by the situation like this, she couldn’t even begin to imagine what Natsu was going through.


	5. Chapter 3: Part 3 (Natsu)

Just a few days ago, Natsu Dragneel was considered the most zealous and spirited mage in all of Fiore, determined to win the Grand Magic Games and put his guild back on top.

But now, he sat in the Honey Bone inn’s sleeping quarters, his only company being the darkness and silence that surrounded him. 

In his right hand was a purple ribbon that belonged to a fellow guildmate of his. But not just any guildmate. 

His teammate.

His partner.

His best friend.

Lucy…

His chest ached as he pulled the ribbon to his face, clenching the silk as hard as he could. A familiar scent radiated of it, making him tear up as he pictured a beautiful girl with long blonde hair. Her eyelids were closed, but he knew that behind them there were eyes as dark and sweet as chocolate. Her smile was big enough to light a whole room. She held up her right arm with her palm facing her, showing off a bright pink Fairy Tail mark on her hand. 

“Hey Natsu, look! Mirajane just put the official Fairy Tail mark on my hand!”

Damn it…

Tears now were pouring out of his eyes like a waterfall. Not since Lisanna’s supposed death had he ever felt such a tide of emotions, but this was a thousand times worse. He felt as if his heart and mind would split in two. 

Natsu closed his eyes, trying to will himself back to that memory. Or before the Grand Magic Games. Or before today. Just anytime before Lucy got hurt he’d rather be right now. 

He wanted to hear her berating him for breaking into her apartment and eating her food. He wanted to go on another job with her and hear her complain about her rent or her writer’s block. He wanted her to hold him back when he was about to go on a rampage. He wanted to feel her warm presence whenever she was near. He just wanted her to be with him, so he could keep her safe. So he could protect her, like he always did. 

But now her future had been ruined, and there wasn’t anything he could do about it. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Wendy sat on a bench across from the Honey Bone, holding Carla while Happy sat nearby. 

Everyone feared that Natsu was bound to go on another rampage at the Sabertooth headquarters and take on the entire guild himself, but they did not expect him to lock himself away. No one even dared to talk to him. A lot of people in Fairy Tail were close to Lucy, but no one was closer to her than the fire dragon slayer. He was the one to bring her to the guild after all. 

Wendy had considered checking on him, but she thought it was best to leave him alone as well. Maybe he just needed time to grieve or to process everything. Gray and Erza had done the same, not even returning to the inn and instead breaking off once they left the arena. This gave Wendy some time to process the day’s events herself. She had already cried enough, now she just needed to accept the way things were, which was still hard to take in. Holding Carla in her arms made everything a little easier for her, though, as the white exceed hadn’t left her side. 

She felt bad for Happy, who stared at the ground with a blank expression. One of his best friends was in the infirmary after a near-death experience, and the other was isolating himself from the world. The poor cat was terrified and helpless. 

Suddenly two familiar smells became present. She looked to her left and saw Erza and Gray approaching. She nodded to them, as a silent greeting, which they returned. 

“Do you guys know what’s going on?” The small dragon slayer asked.

“Yeah, Mirajane and Juvia told us.” Gray replied. He looked up at the inn in worry. He and Natsu butted heads a lot, but deep down the two truly cared for each other. He hadn’t seen him like this since… well ever. 

“Wendy, go to the Bar Sun and meet with the others. We’ll be there shortly.” Erza said. Wendy quickly complied and, along with Carla and Happy, headed off. 

Erza and Gray looked at each other and then back at the inn. This wasn’t going to be easy.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Natsu laid flat on one of the beds, the blankets stained by his many tears. The purple ribbon was still in his right hand. 

Ever since Phantom Lord attacked Fairy Tail to return Lucy to her father, the dragon slayer started to become more protective of her. He always wanted to protect his friends, but Lucy was different. He felt like whenever she got hurt, it was his fault. 

So witnessing her getting tortured right in front of him, powerless to do anything, was like a nightmare he couldn’t wake up from. 

That’s when he remembered who did this to her.

Sabertooth.

Natsu seethed. Sabertooth dared to brutalize a Fairy Tail member. And not just any member. They dared to hurt Lucy.

Unconsciously, Natsu stood up and walked towards the balcony, the lights of Crocus glowing all around. He couldn’t see it, but he knew Sabertooth’s HQ was one of those lights. 

And he wanted to extinguish it. Show them true power and pain. Make them suffer for ruining Lucy’s life. 

But something held him back. Like a weight was tied to his body. It was as if someone was behind him, holding him back, begging him not to act so foolishly. 

“Natsu?”

Snapping out of his hypnotic state, he looked back to see Erza standing in the doorway, Gray behind her. Something about them seemed off. But he dropped all care for it. He just wanted to be alone.

“What do you want.” He said in an aggressive and low voice. 

“We want to talk to you. Just for a moment.” Erza replied. As opposed to her usual strict and commanding demeanor, she was acting more compassionate. 

“No. Leave.”

“C’mon man, we just need to talk.” Gray said. 

“I said no.” 

“We understand how you feel, we just want to he-”

“YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND!” 

Natsu’s shouting widened Gray and Erza’s eyes in surprise. He only raised his voice like that whenever he was fighting, never at his friends.

“You just don’t…” Natsu whimpered as he fell back down onto the bed, his head hanging low. Tears formed in his eyes once more. 

Erza walked over to him and kneeled down so they could be at eye level. She placed a hand softly on his. 

“Natsu…” 

He looked up and saw Erza’s teary brown eyes. He remembered how upset he was when she was crying at the Tower of Heaven because of Jellal. Erza wasn’t one to cry, at least not in front of others. But instead of feeling angry, he felt numb. 

“We felt the same way. We couldn’t protect her. Even though we couldn’t do anything, we still felt responsible for her pain. I don’t even feel worthy of the name Titania anymore. But there was nothing we could do.” 

“But if anyone’s supposed to protect her, it’s me. I’m the one who brought her to the guild and got her into this mess. It’s my job as her friend to protect her from harm. If I fail at that, what’s my purpose?” 

Gray walked over and sat on the bed next to Natsu, facing him. “Don’t speak like that Natsu. You know Lucy wouldn’t want you to think that way. She doesn’t want you to feel like you have to protect her all the time. She’s strong, and capable. That’s why she was chosen to participate in the games with us. That’s why we believe in her. And that’s why she sacrificed herself for us today. She was willing to deal with the pain just so we could win.”

“And you won’t always be able to protect everyone, Natsu. Just like how I’m not always able to protect you, Gray, Wendy, Lucy, or anyone else in the guild. We just have to accept that.” 

“But-” 

“But nothing.” Erza stopped him from continuing. “Natsu, we have to win this. This is no longer just to put our guild back on top, but to avenge one of our friends who honorably fought and sacrificed herself for us to win. It’s what Lucy would want, and I can’t imagine anything else that would make her happier when she wakes up.” 

Natsu’s heart sank at her words. He then felt a hand on his right shoulder, and turned to see Gray. His eyes were somewhat teary as well, but he was doing his best to hold them back so he could stay strong for him. 

“Natsu, Lucy gave Sabertooth just a taste of Fairy Tail’s courage and strength. Now let’s show them, and all of Fiore, what we’re really about.” 

Suddenly, Natsu felt his heart lift, as if his determination and willpower that he had lost returned. He then imagined Lucy, smiling so brightly and beautifully that he swore it would make him go blind, except this time he didn’t cry. They will win this tournament, and Lucy will smile, because he couldn’t see any other future that said otherwise.

He lifted his head to face his two childhood friends. They looked at him with hope gleaming in their eyes. Natsu took a couple deep breaths, before giving his final answer. 

“You’re right. I’m all fired up now! Let’s kick some Sabertooth ass!” He then flashed his signature toothy grin. This caused Erza and Gray’s faces to light up as well. Finally, their friend was back to his normal self, at least somewhat. And now they could focus on the task ahead: Winning the Grand Magic Games. 

“Good. Now make haste. The Master wants to speak with us at the bar.” Erza commanded. It seems as though she had returned to her normal self as well.

“A-aye!” Natsu whimpered out, causing Gray to scoff silently. The dragon slayer heard it, but thought it wise to not fight right in front of Titania herself.

Erza and Gray exited the room, with Natsu behind them. Just as he was about to leave, however, he turned around and saw Lucy’s purple ribbon on the floor. 

Without hesitation, he picked it up and wrapped it tightly around the wrist band on his right arm. 

You’ll be with me all the way, Luce. 

With that, Natsu left the inn, eager to show the world what Fairy Tail was made of.


	6. Chapter 4: Vengeance and Virtue

The Bar Sun, one of the most popular taverns in all of Crocus, was completely barren, save for ten mages and three exceeds. There was barely any chatter since the trio of Natsu, Gray, and Erza had arrived. Since then they sat around the tavern in silence waiting for their leader to speak. 

Suddenly, a small man jumped upon the bar’s countertop, grabbing everyone’s attention. He inhaled deeply before speaking.

“Listen up, everyone. I know today’s has been one of the darkest days of our lives, and some of you would rather not focus on competition, but I have an important announcement to make regarding our participation in the tournament.” Makarov Dreyar spoke up, his tone passionate yet commanding. 

Everyone raised an eyebrow. What could he mean? They weren’t actually going to drop out of the tournament, were they? 

Damn it, right when I had gotten motivated to beat those Saber guys too, Natsu thought to himself as he unconsciously clenched his fist. Erza and Gray were concerned as well. The only reason they wanted to continue was so they could win the games as a tribute to Lucy. Even Laxus’s eyes widened at his grandfather’s words. 

“Due to Raven Tail’s disqualification, the tournament had an uneven number of teams. Therefore, we have been asked to combine our two groups into one.” 

A mix of sighs of relief and grunts sounded. The Fairy Tail members were glad that they would stay in the tournament, but also some were upset knowing they wouldn’t get their hand at revenge. 

Juvia then raised her hand, a question in mind. “Master, who have you chosen to be on the new team?” 

Makarov then closed his eyes. “Well, I guess it was rather easy considering our options. The new team will consist of Gajeel, Laxus, Erza, Gray, and Natsu. You five will compete in the Grand Magic Game tomorrow.” 

There were no arguments to his choice. It was the best team he could assemble. Three dragon slayers, an S-Class requip mage, and a close to S-Class ice mage. The master may be old, but there is no doubt that his judgement was as sharp as ever. 

Carla, still being held by Wendy, then spoke up. “What about our points? Which score do we get to keep?” 

Makarov sighed. “We will keep the lower score of the two, meaning the 35 points from Team A.” 

“Seems fair to me.” Gray shrugged. Everyone else nodded in agreement. At least they got to keep Lucy’s points. 

“I will now ask everyone except the five mentioned to leave so we can discuss our strategy.” 

As they got up to leave, Cana, Mirajane, and Juvia walked over to Natsu, Gray, and Erza. 

“Do us a favor, will ya? Kick Sabertooth’s ass for us, especially that Minerva bitch. She deserves everything that’s coming to her.” Cana said, speaking for the other two. She wouldn’t get the chance to avenge her friend, so she had to put her faith in the others to do so. 

“Oh don’t worry, they’re gonna learn what happens when you mess with Fairy Tail!” Natsu said, as fervent as ever. The three girls smiled and then left the bar. 

“Good luck, guys!” Wendy said as she exited as well, along with Happy, Carla, and Pantherlily. 

The only ones left were the new Fairy Tail team and Master Makarov. The elder motioned the others to come closer for discussion.

“Master, have you already a battle plan for tomorrow?” Erza asked. 

“Well, I don’t. But she does.” Makarov grinned as he pointed to his right, where a tiny blonde girl now sat. It could only be…

“First Master Mavis?” the group said in unison. 

The little girl smiled before them. Saying they were surprised was an understatement. Of course, they had known she had been watching the tournament, but they didn’t think a literal ghost would be assisting them. 

“You’re going to be helping us?” Gajeel asked.

“Yup! Who's ready for Battle Strategy 101?” Mavis said joyfully. 

“During her tenure as the first guild master, Mavis Vermillion won many battles due to her remarkable art of war. Fairy Tail would not be around had it not been for her leadership and coordination. I expect each of you to follow her strategy to a tee.” Makarov stated, hoping to extinguish even the smallest hint of defiance among his children. 

“But why exactly are you helping us?” Gray questioned.

Mavis’s face then turned serious. “Because of Makarov and wizards like you, Fairy Tail has been shaped into the ideal guild that I wanted it to be when I first established it. That hasn’t been anymore prevalent than during this tournament. And we cannot allow guilds like Sabertooth to soil the image of guilds across the country. We have to show them what a true guild is like. Which is why I will lead you to victory. For us, for Fiore, and for your fellow guildmate.” 

Everyone nodded. Sabertooth might be considered a guild by name, but not in spirit. They were the epitome of hubris. They believed strength was all they needed to win. Not friends, not care, not love. Just pure power. But they weren’t about to be proved wrong.

Before Mavis could continue, Erza spoke up. “First Master. I know this seems selfish, but I request that I be the one to face Minerva tomorrow.” 

Natsu then faced Erza angrily. “No way, Erza! I’m gonna be the one to burn her ass to a crisp for what she did to Lucy!”

Gray then spoke up. “If we’re making requests, then let me face that Rufus guy! I gotta get revenge for what he did to me on the first day!”

“Save some for me, Salamander. That woman’s gonna have plenty of iron in her diet once I’m done with her.” Gajeel said, proceeding to get in Natsu’s face.

“If anyone should fight her, it should be me.” Laxus stated. 

The five then began to argue with each other about who should fight who, much to the First Master’s chagrin. She was about to speak up when a loud voice boomed.

“SILENCE!”

Everyone stopped and looked towards Master Makarov, who looked ready to transform into a giant and smash them all into pancakes. 

“Let the first master speak, or else.” He then retracted to allow Mavis to continue.

“You must all remember that there are four other guilds that will be fighting as well. Mermaid Heel and Lamia Scale pose serious threats, and Blue Pegasus and Quatro Puppy could cause an issue as well. You must keep that in mind.” 

She then turned to Gray. “And Gray. I’m sorry, but according to my calculations you are the least suited to fight Rufus. With his use of lost magic, we’ll need someone more capable to take him down.”

Gray then stood up, clenching his fists. “I don’t give a damn if I’m not capable enough! I wanna get revenge for Lucy and pay him back for what he did. Ever since I got the Fairy Tail emblem on my chest, I have never, never, lost twice! Let me fight him as a Fairy Tail wizard!”

Mavis, along with the others, were shocked at his opposition. Despite her doubts, she had no choice but to let him fight. He shared the same love and pride as a Fairy Tail member that Lucy had shown earlier. She smiled and nodded. “Alright then. You will fight Rufus. But no more requests, understand?”

Hesitantly, everyone nodded. Gray smiled, and sat back down. He couldn’t wait to show what true maker-magic is like. 

For the next two hours, the First Master informed Team Fairy Tail all about the probabilities and scenarios she had come up with, and then formulated the ultimate strategy. They would need to take down quite a few opponents if they were to win, but she couldn’t be anymore confident. 

Just after she had finished formulating the plan, Makarov spoke up for the first time in hours. “I have one last thing to say to you.”

“Sabertooth thinks they’ll get away with brutalizing our Lucy, but they couldn’t be anymore mistaken. They have cemented their own fate. You will not out of anger or hatred. You will fight out of love for your family and for the honor of your guild. Many of your friends fought hard to get us here. Show them where true strength and power come from. From your hearts, and from each other. Do not fail me, do not fail your friends, and do not fail Lucy.” 

A spark was set in their hearts. One that would light the flames of vengeance and virtue, which would not be extinguished.


	7. Chapter 5: Grand Magic Game

The sun shone brightly down upon the Domus Flau, where thousands were packed to see the final event of the X791 Grand Magic Games. Fireworks blasted in the sky, filling the blue sky with an assortment of colors. 

“At last! The day you’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived! The final day of the Grand Magic Games!” 

Chapati Lola’s voice resounded over the roars of the crowd. Many held up the flags of their favorite teams, but none were more prominent than those of the Fairy Tail and Sabertooth emblems. News spread fast about the freshly-brewed rivalry between the two guilds, making it the main attraction of the event. 

“No matter what, one guild will be crowned this year’s Grand Magic Games champion today! Today’s announcers will be none other than yours truly, Chapati, as well as former member of the Magic Council Mr. Yajima! We also have a special guest commentator today, the official mascot of the Grand Magic Games, Mato!” 

“Glad to be here, Chapati.” Yajima said.

“Give it your all, everybody!” Mato joyfully added. “Let’s get started with team introductions!” 

Suddenly, from one of the entrances, yellow, orange, and red smoke simultaneously went off, and a bright glowing “4” appeared in the air. 

“In sixth place is the group of hunting-dogs-turned-pups, Quatro Puppy! Their team members are Bacchus Groh, Rocker, Jager, Nobarly, and Semmes!”

The crowd fell relatively silent, minus a few cheers here and there. 

“Ah c’mon man, that totally ain’t wild!” Rocker complained in disappointment. Not like anyone cared though. They were never in serious contention for first place anyway. It was likely they would end up as fodder for the other guilds to take advantage of. 

“Moving on, in fifth place is Blue Pegasus! They will compete with Ren Akatsuki, Eve Tearm, Hibiki Lates, Jenny Realight, and Ichiya Wanderlei Kotobuki!” 

The Blue Pegasus emblem appeared, accompanied by pink mist. Eventually, it cleared to reveal the guild’s competitors, who were under a bright spotlight. All of them struck poses, including Ichiya and his signature dual finger-pistols. 

“We got two teams tied for third place up next! First, we got Lamia Scale, led by the ice wizard Lyon Vastia and Wizard Saint Jura Neekis! They are joined by the Sky God Slayer Sherria Blendy, Yuka Suzuki, and Toby Horhorta!” 

A giant wave of water shot up into the sky and dispersed, leaving the Mermaid Heel emblem alone as rain dropped from the sky. 

“And up next, we’ve got Mermaid Heel, led by the skilled swordsman, Kagura Mikazuchi! They also have Millianna, Beth Vanderwood, Arana Webb, and Risley Law!” 

The five screens that stood present in the arena displayed the famous symbol that stood for the guild that had lost its place among the top guilds in Fiore, but now looked to get it back. The crowd erupted, beaming so loud a normal human could hear it from the other side of Crocus. 

“In second place, looking to make an incredible comeback after seven years, we have the one and only…”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Natsu stood in silence in the tunnel, staring at the purple ribbon that remained fastened to his wrist. He still felt rather uncomfortable in his purple outfit, and wished to change into his normal waistcoat, but the master demanded the team look somewhat impressionable for the final event. 

It’ll probably get ruined once we get fighting anyway, he thought to himself. His clothes, minus his scarf, always get wrecked somehow. 

He felt eyes gazing upon him, and looked to his right to see Erza staring at him. She was now donning a violet kimono, with white flowers scattered in the design. Her hair was now up in a ponytail, with an orange tie holding it in place. She had black leggings that reached up to the middle of her thighs, leaving the sides of her waist very exposed. 

Natsu expected her to make an insult of some sort, as he acknowledged his weird behavior, but instead she just smiled. Erza pulled down one of her sleeves to reveal a red ribbon around her wrist as well. 

Natsu recognized it as another ribbon of Lucy’s. He, at first, was surprised that she had the same idea as him from the night before, but he returned with a grin and showed his proudly, which Erza nodded in response. 

“She’s got a lot of em, doesn’t she?” 

To the dragon slayer’s right appeared Gray, who wore a dark blue sleeveless top, with white lines around the chest area. He wore two matching sleeves, along with a pair of loose, tan-colored pants, which almost reached his combat boots. He then pulled down his sleeve as well to show a blue ribbon on his wrist. 

“Oi, I had the idea first, popsicle!” 

“Oh, so if Erza does it it’s okay but I do it and it’s copying you? What kinda thinking is that, matchstick?” 

“It’s called being thoughtful, icepick!” 

“Yeah well sorry I’m trying to be nice for a friend, ya dirty fire breather!” 

“Okay, that’s enough of that, you two.” Erza stood between them, keeping them apart. Oh Lucy, please wake up soon so I don’t have to deal with these two by myself, she thought. “Don’t forget what we’re fighting for here.”

“Aye!” The duo said.

They caught up with Gajeel and Laxus, who were waiting near the end of the tunnel. The iron dragon slayer was fastening his headband to his forehead while the lighting dragon slayer had his eyes closed, preparing himself. He opened them when he saw the trio had neared.

“Ready?” 

They nodded and began to walk out, the light at the end of the tunnel getting brighter and the cheers from the crowd growing louder.

For them, this tournament was no longer simply about getting their guild back to the top. It was about getting revenge. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“...FAIRY TAIL!” 

Pink mist danced in the wind as the team walked out. Unlike the previous teams, they didn’t come out with large smiles or flashy poses. Instead, they wore serious looks, not even turning their eyes to the crowd. 

“Looks like they changed their line-up, Chapati.” said Yajima, having not been briefed about the change-up.

“Why yes they have! After Raven Tail’s disqualification, there was an uneven number of teams, which meant Fairy Tail had to combine both of their teams. We’ll see if that plays in or out of their favor today! They’ll be contending with Laxus Dreyar, Gajeel Redfox, Erza Scarlet, Gray Fullbuster, and Natsu Dragneel!” 

“It will be very interesting to see three dragon slayers from one team out on the field today!” Mato jumped up and down in excitement. 

“And finally, in first place, we have last year’s champions looking to defend their title. The tough-as-nails tigers, Sabertooth!” 

Thousands cheered as five mages walked out of the final tunnel. 

Leading the pack was none other than Minerva herself. She was wearing a tight blue dress with a white furry accessory wrapped around her waist that reached down to her waist. Behind her was the twin dragon slayers, Rogue Cheney and Sting Eucliffe, and behind them were the last two members, Orga Nanagear and Rufus Lore. 

Minerva saw Fairy Tail staring at her with ferocity in their eyes. She simply smiled and blew a kiss their way. They all scoffed. She knew they hated her, and she loved it. 

Meanwhile, the rest of Fairy Tail watched the introductions from the stands. Makarov stood atop the edge while Mavis sat next to him. They noticed the look on their team’s faces. He thought about their conversation the night before. Despite their shared resentment towards the Sabertooth guild, he wanted his children to fight out of love and honor for their friend and their guild, not out of malice and disgust. If they were going to get revenge, they were going to get it the right way. 

The First Master turned to face him. “Today may just be one of the most important days in our guild’s history.”

“Why do you say that, First Master?” 

“Our guild’s resilience and mental vigor will be tested. I know those five hold hatred deep in their hearts, but they must not let it control them. If they do, we’ll be no better than Sabertooth, and we’ll have no right to call ourselves the strongest guild if we don’t hold true to our values.” 

Makarov understood, knowing he shared a similar ideal. “They’re the strongest of us. I trust them to fight for the right purpose. They’ve had a long and hard road to get here, but I believe they will stick to our guild’s beliefs to the end. Even Natsu. He may be a goofball, but he’s serious when he needs to be. You’ve prepared them well. All we can do now is entrust them with our faith.” 

Mavis nodded. “You know them better than me. I believe you made the best choice for our final team. Let’s hope they make us proud.” 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
“Today’s event will be a six-team battle royale, with the entire city of Crocus as the battlefield! Each team will have one leader and four normal participants. If a leader is defeated, the victor team will be awarded five points, while everyone else will be worth one point. The teams are already on standby for the event to begin!” Chapati announced. 

“It’ll be interesting to see which tactics they chose. Will they work together as one or divide and conquer?” Yajima added. 

Team Fairy Tail was stationed near a large lion statue in one of the many residential districts. Erza was going over Mavis’s strategy as a recap so they would execute each step exactly. 

“One minute of prep time remaining!” Mato announced. 

“About damn time!” Gajeel said with a grin.

“Let’s make sure to put on a show.” Laxus followed.

“Everyone, remember who we’re fighting for. We’re fighting for Lucy, and our guild. We owe it to them for helping us get this far.” Erza asserted. She looked down at the ribbon tied around her wrist. I was useless yesterday, so I’ll make it up to you today. I promise, Lucy.

“After today, all of Fiore will remember just how strong we are.” Gray said. We won’t let you down.

“AW YEAH! I’M FIRED UP NOW!” Natsu shouted, loud enough for the other dragon slayers present to hear. Let’s do this, Luce! 

“Let’s do this!” Team Fairy Tail screamed in unison.

“Let the Grand Magic Games…”

“BEGIN!”


	8. Chapter 6: Gray vs Rufus vs Lyon

Team Fairy Tail had split up as soon as the event began, all sprinting down different streets and alleys to reach their destinations at the right time.

Gray had just rounded a corner when he saw his two anticipated opponents, Toby and Yuka of Lamia Scale. They had their backs turned to him, so they never saw him coming. 

“Ice-Make: Geyser!” He shouted as he placed his hands on the cobble pavement, causing ice to shoot from his hands and dart towards the two. By the time they saw him, it was too late, as a large fountain of ice erupted from the ground, encasing the two in a frozen state. 

“Gray takes out Toby and Yuka with one attack! And Erza has defeated Jenny as well! That adds three points to Fairy Tail’s score! They’ve hit the ground running!” Chapati yelled. Fairy Tail’s score was now at 40, still far behind Sabertooth’s score of 49. 

Good, we’ll need all the points we can get, the ice mage thought to himself. The First Master’s plan had consisted of quickly eliminating weaker opponents at the beginning, leaving the strongest ones for later so they could team up. So far, her calculations had been correct, as Gray and Erza were to defeat their opponents around the same time. And any second now, Gajeel would be…

“And now Gajeel Redfox has defeated Hibiki and Eve of Blue Pegasus. That brings the Fairies total to 42!” 

Gray grinned as he continued sprinting. They were catching up, and he knew the other teams would begin to scramble. His next destination was the Crocus Library, where Rufus Lore of Sabertooth, the man who has shocked the whole tournament with his use of an ancient lost maker magic, was supposedly at. 

But there was a chance they wouldn’t be alone. Mavis had said there was a 61% chance that either Lyon, Sherria, or Jura from Lamia Scale would head there as well. She warned that if it was Sherria or Jura, Gray would have to retreat immediately as they both were massive threats to their plan, but if it was Lyon he was safe to fight as he had faced him in the past. 

Truthfully, Gray couldn’t care less about that. Along with the rivalry between Fairy Tail and Sabertooth, he had a personal grudge against Rufus, as he had been one of two reasons why he failed so badly on the first day, the other being that one guy from Raven Tail who had targeted Gray specifically. But now he was out of the picture. 

Rufus was key to Sabertooth’s strategy. He must be defeated. 

Gray pushed opened one of the large doors that led to a long hallway that had tall bookshelves that were aligned in long rows. The hallway led to a large open space that was the center of the library. Two curved staircases led up to a second floor with even more bookshelves. A lavish chair was between the staircases.

And in that chair sat none other than Rufus Lore himself, who was occupying himself with a book. He didn’t even hear Gray’s footsteps as the ice mage approached him.

Coming to an abrupt halt, Gray recalled all the anger he held towards Rufus from the first day. He was going to show this maker-mage just how powerful he was.

“Seems the First Master was right. She said you’d be here.” He said. He was annoyed that Rufus hadn’t even looked up from his reading.

“My oh my, it seems you’ve slipped from my memory. Mind helping me remember who you are?” He replied nonchalantly, as if this was a casual exchange.

“I wouldn’t bother trying, because I’ll be the only thing on your mind after I defeat you.” 

“Well then, we shall see about that.”

Without hesitation, Gray put his fist in his palm, blue light emitting from it, and shouted, “Ice-Make: Freeze Lancer!” 

Several beams of ice shot out of his hands, with pointed tips at the end. Aimed at Rufus, they curved downward to strike their target. 

Before the beams could hit, Rufus launched himself out of the chair, dodging the attack that left nothing but dust and debris behind. Holding onto his hat so it wouldn’t fly off in midair, he grinned. “Memorized.” 

As soon as he landed, Gray quickly reacted. “You ain’t going anywhere! Ice-Make: Ice Impact!” A large hammer made entirely of ice appeared above, and slammed down on Rufus’s position.

Again, the blonde mage swiftly moved to the side, dodging once more. 

“Memorized.”

“What’s that crap you’re mumbling about?” 

“My memory magic allows me to memorize spells and use them to create new ones. Each one you throw at me is just another to add to my collection.”

“Is that so?”

“Don’t believe me? I’ll just have to show you then. I’ll take my memories of your ice, and combine it with Obra’s lighting.” 

Gray raised an eyebrow in confusion as Rufus raised a hand in the air. “Memory-Make: Sword of Frozen Black Lighting!”

A golden orb appeared in Rufus’s hand, with large spirals forming on both sides. It began to shine brighter, as black lighting bolts struck the floors. 

Suddenly, large ice spikes formed wherever the bolts hit, and they were heading straight for Gray.

Quickly, he jumped backwards so he could avoid their trajectory. 

“Memory-Make: Shrine of the Turbulent Fang.” Rufus swiped his hand in front of his face as he summoned multiple tornadoes within the library.

“Is that all you got? Ice-Make: Shield!” Gray threw up his shield as the tornadoes approached him, threatening to pick him up and throw him away.

“Memorized. And forgotten.” Suddenly, Gray’s shield disappeared, causing him to be sucked up into a twister, causing books and other debris to hit him in the head and torso. 

Just like the shield, the tornadoes disappeared, and Gray fell flat on his back, with several bruises and cuts from colliding objects. 

Grunting, Gray rolled over so he could stand up, but could only get up on his knees before feeling his whole body ache. His clothing had several tears in it from the damage, and he’d probably have a headache for a few days from whatever hit him right on the skull. 

“Just like how I can memorize spells, I can easily nullify them by forgetting them. I could easily defeat you with such an ability, but I think I’ll put on a little show like we did with that weak celestial mage of yours.” Rufus spoke with such arrogance that it was annoying. 

“SHUT UP!” Gray screamed as he used Ice-Make: Lance, but with smaller lances that were much quicker than before.

Rufus had no time to react, and suffered a couple blows. Multiple rips were now present on his flamboyant dark jacket, as well as a few missing feathers from his hat’s plumage.

“It seems you’ve caused some damage to my attire. How upsetting. This outfit cost me 2,000,000 jewels. Oh well, I’m glad to see you’re back on your feet. Now I can use my newly learned ancient witchcraft spells on you.” Rufus said, in a passive-aggressive tone.

“I don’t give a damn about your outfit or your spells! I’m gonna make you pay for what your guild did to my friend! Give me all you got, bookworm, because you’re going down!” 

-  
“You’re gonna need a lot more love if you’d ever want to beat us!” Sherria exclaimed.

Lyon and Sherria had just defeated Semmes and Rocker of Quatro Puppy, hardly draining their stamina. They had split up in different groups. Toby and Yuka went together while Jura remained alone. 

Realistically, Lyon knew Toby and Yuka would be eliminated first. They were barely stronger than those Quatro guys. But they still had a chance. Hell, they even had one of the ten Wizard Saints! They would just have to make up for lost time, especially since Fairy Tail threw out several punches right away. 

Suddenly, the ice-make mage felt a familiar surge of magic power nearby. He turned to find the source, and saw the large Crocus Library. He had sensed this power before. Many times, in fact. It could only belong to one person.

Gray.

“Sherria, will you be alright on your own?” He asked the cherry-haired girl.

“Um, yeah I think so. Why? What’s wrong?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“I have someone I must deal with. You go on, I’ll catch up once I’m done.” Lyon turned to her and smiled. “You’re strong, Sherria. I believe in you.”

Sherria smiled and nodded, before taking off behind him. Lyon began to sprint towards the source. 

Ever since they were kids, Lyon always considered Gray his rival. When they were training with Ur, when they fought on Galuna Island, even when they teamed up to fight the Oracion Seis. He was always bested by him, even though he had trained with Ur long before he came around. But now, Gray had become Lyon’s love rival for the exalted Juvia Lockser’s heart. Despite both of their refutes, the silver haired mage was determined to beat Gray, not only to prove that he was the superior ice mage, but also the one worthy of Juvia’s love.

I will beat you, Gray, for Juvia, and all of Fiore, to see.   
-  
Fairy Tail watched from the stands of the arena in worry as Gray battled Rufus. The odds weren’t looking too good. 

“First Master, Gray facing Rufus was part of your plan, right?” Warren asked.

Mavis nodded. “Yes, it was.”

“Good, that means Gray’s gonna beat him into the ground!” Max exclaimed.

“Not exactly.” Mavis replied.

Levy looked in confusion. “What do you mean?” 

“From my analysis, Gray has the lowest probability of beating Rufus out of our team. I told him he had no chance of winning, but his spirit and emotions made me think otherwise. I cannot say victory is guaranteed, but we’ll have to trust Gray and his instincts to guide him.” 

“Believe in your family, children. Gray has faced tough opponents before. My faith is placed in him to help us win.” Makarov added. 

The other Fairy Tail members nodded and continued to watch the fight. Juvia looked on, concerned for her love.

Gray, my darling. It doesn’t matter what the numbers or predictions say. I believe in you, I always have. Let your heart guide you, and I know you’ll succeed.  
-  
Several explosions rocked Gray’s body as Rufus cast another spell. He hit the floor hard, barely able to move from the effects. 

Rufus proudly sat on a railing, legs crossed. Seeing Gray so powerless to fight made him gleam with joy.

“It seems that I’ve misread you. I had no idea you were this stubborn. But at least you’ve made an excellent test subject. Unfortunately, my experiments have now concluded. Time to dispose of you, lab rat.” 

“Downpour of Ancient Wisdom!” Rufus exclaimed as a golden circle appeared above Gray, sending massive amounts of force down upon him. Cracks formed in the ground as he was pushed deeper and deeper by the smothering gravity. “Magic is a wonderful tool. Those powerful enough can harness the elements, even the power of gravity itself! Now die beneath my light!”

The pressure was suffocating. Gray couldn’t even move a finger off the ground. The floor continued to be depressed by the weight of gravity. It felt like a thousand weights were being dropped on him at once. 

It’s too much pressure. I can’t stand. I can’t even move. How the hell will I face them now? All the people who got us this far. I’ll let them all down. Gray thought to himself as images of his friends appeared in his mind. 

Ezra standing proudly, blade high in the air after claiming victory in Pandamonium.. Wendy and Elfman, barely able to breathe after long and tough battles. Lucy shouting in determination after Minerva’s relentless attacks. All of them had given their all for one reason. To win.

No. This isn’t over. Far from it. 

“That’s it. I’m done screwing around!” Suddenly, Gray started to stand up, slowly rising as the pressure from the magic circle continued to rain down from above. Rufus’s face paled. 

“W-what? But h-how? This is ancient magic! You shouldn’t be able to move!” He yelled.

“Don’t tell me what to do!” Gray retorted. He knew if he was going to win this battle, he needed to think of new spells and abilities. He thought back to his master’s teachings.

“Creativity and freedom are key to using Maker Magic. Ur taught me that a long time ago. And I have my own memories as well.” Recollections of Lyon on Galuna Island, Juvia during the Phantom Lord attack, his battle with Lyon against Racer and Ultear on Tenrou. “I remember each and every battle I’ve won with what I’ve learned from her. Everything I gained, every emotion I felt from them. Those memories are more valuable than any spell you can remember!” 

Gray put his palms on the ground and caused ice to shoot up from beneath Rufus, who leaped into the air and landed on the ground level, coming face to face with his opponent. 

“You’ll never understand all the pain I’ve felt. It’s something I share with all of my friends. Each battle, win or lose, is cemented in my brain. I hold onto that pain, even cherish it, because it’s what makes me stronger.” Gray ripped off his already destroyed shirt, revealing his black Fairy Tail guild mark. 

“I’m going to wipe that damn grin off of your face, because as long as I’ve had this insignia, I’ve never lost to the same person twice!”

“Impressive. Most impressive.” Rufus felt excited, which rarely happened as he’d never had someone act so determined and serious in a fight before.

Gray put an arm out in front of him, and a blue glow emitted from the magic circle below him.

“Ice-Make: Ice Cannon!” 

A massive, long-barreled cannon made of ice formed in his hands, the back of it resting on his shoulder. He showed no hesitation, his right finger pressing the trigger as a large frost-like beam shot out from the cannon.

Rufus stared in horror as the beam approached him. He tried to conjure up a spell but it was too late. 

The blast struck him head on, and sent him flying right through the library walls, creating a large circular hole in the side of the building. Books and debris went flying everywhere, as the impact created a large explosion down the street, leaving only smoke in its wake.

Gray panted heavily. The last time he had used that attack was against Lyon on Galuna Island. It was powerful, but also very draining. He followed the path of the beam that had easily broken through the walls. Small ice particles floated through the air, and some spikes of ice had grown onto the ground from the frost. 

Gray didn’t hear any announcement saying Rufus was defeated (likely because the announcers themselves still couldn’t see through the smoke) so he needed to check. He had cleared the hole and now walked the empty streets of Crocus. Smoke still surrounded him, but he began to feel a familiar presence.

“Ice-Make: Dragonfly!”

Several dozen small dragonflies made of ice flew out from the smoke and straight towards Gray, who quickly summoned an ice shield to deflect the projectiles. Not before a couple of them hit him, though. Cuts appeared on the sides of his torso, as well as on his arms, with blood seeping out from a few of them. 

Once the barrage had stopped, he looked up to see the attacker revealing himself from the cover of smoke.

“Lyon..” Gray said roughly. The First Master was right again. What is she?

“Nice to meet again, Gray.” Lyon said slyly. He looked towards the direction the blast had gone. “I’m all too familiar with that attack. I almost feel pity for the poor soul on the other end. But now it’s time we fight, for the sake of our guilds, and for the courtship of Juvia!”

“Oh don’t go spieling about that again! I told you, you can’t have her!” 

“Already claiming ownership of her? Our bet isn’t over yet!”

“What? No! She’s my friend, and I don’t think she’ll switch guilds just to be with you! And I never agreed to that bet in the first place!” 

“Enough chit-chat! I’ll beat you and claim victory as well as her heart!” 

Back in the stands, Juvia was blushing heavily. 

Despite having no feelings for Lyon, I still feel honored about them dueling over me. Is this wrong?  
“Ice-Make: Sword!” Gray rushed towards Lyon with his blade of ice, ready to cut him down.

“Ice-Make: Snow Tiger!” Lyon summoned a frozen tiger that charged back at Gray, who quickly fended off it’s sharp fangs with the tip of his blade. Summoning a second sword, Gray sliced through it’s torso, causing it to break into large ice chunks. 

The two continued to duel it out, with Gray using his arsenal of frozen weaponry against Lyon’s dynamic creations. Suddenly, a third voice entered the fray.

“Memory-Make: Line of Ancient Master Swordsmen!” 

Out of nowhere, knight-like figures of ice, wielding lances, swords, and shields, flew towards Gray and Lyon and began striking them. The two tried to attack, but their creations only broke against the frozen swordsmen. 

“Damn it, where the hell did they come from?” Gray said as he tried to fend them off. 

After being struck back onto the cobble of the street, the duo heard a maniacal laugh as Rufus approached them, using his tattered hat to hide his face. His jacket had been thoroughly ripped, leaving only a portion of the top half, while his white undershirt was severely ripped as well. 

“Another ice mage? How exciting. This will truly be a battle for the record books, but I already know who will be written as the victor.” Rufus brought up his hat and revealed his face, his masquerade mask half destroyed, only covering his right eye. His face also had multiple scratches and bruises 

“It looks like we got a three-way maker mage standoff!” Chapati screamed over the roars of the crowds, from Sabertooth, Fairy Tail, and Lamia Scale fans alike. 

The three stood in a triangular formation, waiting for the next move. Gray eyed up Rufus, who was staring at the ground, likely plotting his next attack, while Lyon focused on Gray.

“Ice-Make: Water Serpent!”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lyon conjure up a serpent-like figure that darted towards Gray and began to coil around him, freezing part of his left arm upon contact. Gray had summoned another blade to cut the serpent in two.

“Memory-Make: Blade of Flashing Lighting!” Rufus made his move. With a blinding light, a giant man had appeared, his lower half encased in ice. He wielded a gigantic battle axe, which he swung to hit both Gray and Lyon.

The two dodged, and then charged at each other. 

“Ice-Make: Battle Axe!” Gray summoned a large axe in midair, and reared it back behind him to strike Lyon.

“Ice-Make: Hedgehog!” Spikes of ice covered Lyon’s body, shielding him from the blow. Pieces of ice flew from the impact. 

Black lighting bolts shot towards the two, coming from Rufus who had again used his Frozen Black Lighting sword. After dodging once again, the three began to trade blow after blow.

The crowd in the Domus Flau was in an uproar. The downtown streets of Crocus were like a light show, with all the lighting and ice that stemmed from the battle. Entire buildings were destroyed, sending rubble everywhere, as well as chunks of ice left over. Each fighter was fueled by their own ambitions and vigor.

Gray, with his dedication to his Fairy Tail family and Ur.

Lyon, and the small remaining amount of contempt towards Gray as well as his hopeless love for Juvia.

Rufus, and his desire to conquer and control. 

Scratches, bruises, and burns wracked their bodies. Whatever clothing Lyon had left was gone, leaving him shirtless like Gray. Rufus’s jacket was now completely gone, leaving him with his white buttoned undershirt. Gray, with only his pants and sleeves remaining, took every single strike to his torso straight on, bearing the pain for the sake of his friends. 

Eventually the battle had reached a standstill. Rufus had seemingly disappeared, leaving Gray and Lyon on a street corner, both heavily panting from the amount of energy they had spent.

“I wonder...how...Ur would react...seeing us fight like this…” Gray said in between breaths. 

“She’d probably...be...disappointed...in how...out-matched… you are…by me...” Lyon responded.

“I think...it’s the other way...around.” 

“You..always were...the stubborn one...Gray…”

“Let’s...end this…” 

After a few more seconds of breathing, Gray put his right hand on top of his left, a magic circle appearing from it.

“Ice-Make: Cold Excalibur!” A large sword with ice spikes protruding from the hilt formed in his hands. 

“Ice-Make: Lion!” Lyon’s right arm was encased in ice, taking the form of a lion’s head with sharp fangs. 

Screaming their battle cries, the two charged at each other for the final time, ready to strike the finishing blow. Gray went for the undercut while Lyon aimed right for his face. Before the sharp fangs could dig into his skin, Gray’s Excalibur struck Lyon down the waist, causing the ice on his arm to vanish. 

Lyon slowly fell down to the ground, losing consciousness quickly. The last image in his mind was of Juvia, and his heart felt crushed knowing he had failed to win her love. And with that, a large thud sounded. 

“Lyon Vastia has been defeated by Gray Fullbuster! Another point for Fairy Tail!” 

Gray’s sword evaporated, and he turned to look at Lyon on the ground. Despite the pity he felt for him on Galuna Island, he could tell seven years had changed him. Gray still respected Lyon, both as a friend and as a wizard. 

Time to find that Rufus guy… he thought to himself as he started to search the area.

“I’m right here.” Gray turned to see Rufus smirking at him, despite the many wounds he had, including a laceration above his eye that covered half his face with blood. 

“Throw whatever you want at me, I’ve memorized them all. You’re on your last legs, and you only have so much magic power left.” 

Gray’s heart was filled with determination. Rufus was right. His magic power was low, and he was physically exhausted. But he had to defeat him. 

Taking a deep breath, Gray once again placed his right fist on his left palm, and channeled all of his remaining energy left. A giant magic circle appeared beneath him, as he prepared to unleash the ultimate attack. 

“Ice-Make Unlimited: One Sided Chaotic Dance!” 

Suddenly dozens and dozens of blades manifested in thin air, all protruding from large spirals of ice. They multiplied by the second, almost dancing in the air. All kinds of swords, of different shapes and sizes. They were forming fast. Almost too fast.

Rufus couldn’t keep up. Each sword had a different design, meaning he had to memorize each and every one. But every time he finished one, two or three more appeared. 

“M-my memory...can’t k-keep up..he’s too fast!” Rufus muttered. His head was pounding from the effort it was taking to memorize the blades.

“Now take this! Chaotic Salvo!” Gray sent the hundreds of swords flying at Rufus, with no way for him to counter. Each sword struck Rufus hard, barely letting him breathe. After the salvo had stopped, Rufus struggled to stay up on his feet. His whole body was shaking. 

He tried lifting his arm to use his memory magic, but it felt like someone had tied an anchor to it because he could barely get it past his chest. 

“M-mem...memory m-m...memory make…” He muttered, before falling to the ground, his hat flying off his head. 

Gray swiftly snatched it out the air, and put it on his head with a smile. After a battle like that, he thought he deserved to bask in his glory for a bit.

“Gray has defeated Rufus Lore of Sabertooth! The ice mage is victorious in an epic maker magic showdown!” 

Gray’s entire body was covered in wounds, some even bleeding. He arched his back over, struggling to get air into his lungs. Sweat dripped from his head, splashing on the ground in tiny drops. The amount of magic energy he had used drained him of almost all of his stamina. He didn’t even know if he could fight again. He would likely have to stick to alleyways in order to avoid fighting for now, just so he could regain his strength. 

He quickly lowered his sleeve to check if the ribbon around his wrist was still there. To his surprise, it was untouched. 

That one is for the both of us, Lucy. 

Rolling his sleeve back up and tossing the hat back towards Rufus, Gray began to run into the nearest alley, hoping to reach his next destination in time.  
-  
Fairy Tail and their fans had gone mad when Gray bested both Lyon and Rufus. Juvia was extra eccentric.

“YES GRAY, MY DARLING! I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!” She cheered, jumping up and down. 

Mavis smiled and closed her eyes while the other celebrated.

How foolish of me to ever doubt you, Gray. Sometimes emotions are stronger than calculations. You’ve done your part, now get some quick rest. You truly are a Fairy Tail wizard.


End file.
